MacOS newb needs help to find "lost" windows

[phl92]

I bought a year ago my first Macbook (M1 Macbook Air) and my first iPhone. My adaption from Android to iOs was smooth and quite intuitive. On the MacOS from Windows I have had more troubles and I am still not very comfortable using Apple's OS.
My main concern at the moment is, that I often miss or cannot find "windows" I opened and then later minimized.
With "windows" I probably use a term which comes from Windows OS, but I basically mean all Apps/Programms I opened.

For example today I was browsing with Safari, and several tabs open, and then I was on Amazon using the support. I didn't really realize that when you get directed to the Amazon Support chat, an extra little Window (not tab) opens up. I had my safari Browsing all over my screen, so as soon as I left the chat for a second I couldn't find the little Amazon chat window. The only way (it was too late) to find it was to minimize my big Safari browser, and also some other Apps which were overlaying the Amazon chat.
For me coming from Windows this is terrible unclear and confusing. On Windows OS, I have for every App/Software or other window an extra symbol in the taskline, and I can never loser track of what is running in the background.

How do you do this on Mac? I am not a total idiot with technology in general, but MacOS often makes me lose my head.
Is there a way to run MacOS similar to WindowsOS in these terms?

 

[ian87w]

Use Mission Control

View open windows and spaces in Mission Control on Mac

On your Mac, use Mission Control to move between apps that are open or in full screen or Split View, or between spaces you created.

support.apple.com

It will show all running app windows and virtual desktops, including full screen apps.

 

[phl92]

Use Mission Control

View open windows and spaces in Mission Control on Mac

On your Mac, use Mission Control to move between apps that are open or in full screen or Split View, or between spaces you created.

support.apple.com

It will show all running app windows and virtual desktops, including full screen apps.

Thanks. I was playing around with this feature when I bought the Macbook a year ago. I still don't find this working very satisfactorily. Imagine you have opened several "Desktops"... and in each Desktop you have several Apps/Browsers working... It gets fast overwhelming.

But seems this is the best way to have track over all Apps on MacOS?

 

[martin2345uk]

When safari is open, what about clicking “Window” in the menu bar? At the bottom it shows you all the windows of Safari that are currently running…

 

[ian87w]

Thanks. I was playing around with this feature when I bought the Macbook a year ago. I still don't find this working very satisfactorily. Imagine you have opened several "Desktops"... and in each Desktop you have several Apps/Browsers working... It gets fast overwhelming.

But seems this is the best way to have track over all Apps on MacOS?

If you want just see all windows of the current app, enable app expose gesture. Go to settings of the trackpad and there should be an option for app expose. It’s not enabled by default, I believe.

If you just want to cycle apps like Alt-Tab on Windows, you can do the same by doing Command-Tab on macOS.

I don’t think this will be overwhelming once you get used to it. I actually prefer this than Windows as Mission Control provides a better birds eye view visually. But that’s just personal opinion.

 

[phl92]

When safari is open, what about clicking “Window” in the menu bar? At the bottom it shows you all the windows of Safari that are currently running…

Thanks, didn't know that. (But not a very intuitive feature at the end )

If you want just see all windows of the current app, enable app expose gesture. Go to settings of the trackpad and there should be an option for app expose. It’s not enabled by default, I believe.

If you just want to cycle apps like Alt-Tab on Windows, you can do the same by doing Command-Tab on macOS.

I don’t think this will be overwhelming once you get used to it. I actually prefer this than Windows as Mission Control provides a better birds eye view visually. But that’s just personal opinion.

Will try this!

 

[phl92]

Ok Mission Control and App Expose is really helping me now with my issue.
Thanks for that!

One more question: is there a way to delete Windows directly from the Mission Control view? I mean without selecting them, reopening them and then quit them?

I usually quit Apps on MacOS with pressing "Command" + "Tab" and then click "Q" to quit them. Just wonder if this works somehow from Mission COntrol view as well?

 

[ian87w]

Ok Mission Control and App Expose is really helping me now with my issue.
Thanks for that!

One more question: is there a way to delete Windows directly from the Mission Control view? I mean without selecting them, reopening them and then quit them?

I usually quit Apps on MacOS with pressing "Command" + "Tab" and then click "Q" to quit them. Just wonder if this works somehow from Mission COntrol view as well?

I don't think you can quit apps in Mission Control. You have to select the app window and CMD-Q.

 

[chown33]

Don't forget that right-clicking an app's Dock icon gives you some actions without the need for Mission Control. For example, all an app's windows should be listed in its popup menu, and Quit should also be available.

These are generally available regardless of what the frontmost app is. That is, you can use them within the app itself, or while another app is active. They even work when an app is hidden (Hide appname in the appname's menu).